Bracelet Baby

As promised, here's the bracelet I made to match the necklace (below).
Click HERE to visit my Etsy page and to see more photos of this item.
I just love these gunmetal pearly beads!

More Mother's Day Gifts

Still having trouble what to buy for your mother this mother's day?

Along with a huge bouquet of flowers I made my Mum a glass necklace. (Not the one pictured)

If you're still struggling with a gift, check out my dainty necklace HERE on Etsy.com - matching bracelets to follow.

A Gift For Mum

So it's Mother's Day in a few days time (March 2nd) - have you thought about a gift yet?
It's always the same - flowers, chocolates or a meal out. Why not treat you mother to some jewellery this year?

Check out my cute butterfly earrings HERE for some crafting inspiration - or if you're running out of time, buy these! But hurry there is only one unique pair available and they are creating interest already.

What a week!

Well, a whole week has gone by and where has the time gone? I spent the start of it at the Stitches Trade show in Birmingham. This is a very interesting hobby and crafting exhibition for the trade only and an ideal opportunity to meet existing contacts and make new ones and to also see the launch of exciting new products. As always, it was extremely interesting and I look forward to using many new products in my projects soon.

Working with new product, which inspires makes crafting so much easier. There is nothing worse than working with a product that doesn't excite, but in this industry when a client wants a project created with a particular product, you have no choice. So to be told that crafting must be a fun job, is not always the case - at times it can be extremely frustrating and certainly is difficult on the days where creative block takes hold and a deadline is fast approaching.

Thankfully, I haven't had one of those days in a long while and I'm on a roll right now. In fact, I'm working on some more projects for clients right now and hope to have something on Creative Crafter UK on the theme of Mother's Day for you shortly. Please do keep checking back!

Have A Great Time Card

Following numerous requests for project instructions, here is another simple card created from a few basic crafting supplies. This card is suitable to send to someone who is leaving a job, going travelling, going on vacation. However, you could also change the greeting for a completely different occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary and the design would work equally well.

You Will Need:
Patterned Paper
Ribbon
Large Floral Cardstock Stickers
Adhesive Gem Stones
Peel-Off Text Stickers
Permanent Marker Pen (Optional - to colour the stickers)
Corner Rounding Punch
Paper Glue
Paper Trimmer
Double Sided Tape
Scissors

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of patterned paper just under half the width of your card and glue along the top (spine) edge of a long white card.
2. Round the corners of the card with a corner rounding punch.
3. Colour the peel-off stickers (if necessary) with permanent marker pens, whilst it is still on the backing sheet. Colour to co-ordinate with your patterned paper. Apply the wording to the bottom right of the card.
4. Stick a piece of ribbon along the join where the patterned paper meets the card.
5. Add a spattering of floral cardstock stickers across the remainder of the card. Allow some to overlap the edges for professional results and trim off excess at the edges.
6. Attach adhesive gem stones to the centres of the flowers for extra sparkle.

Tip of the month: Attach ribbons to your card using a dry adhesive such as double sided tape or an edge-to-edge adhesive such as a Xyron machine loaded with an adhesive cartridge, rather than using a wet glue which will seep through the ribbon.

Designed and photographed by Jep © 2008.

February Challenge

So Valentines might be over, but it's still not too late to show your hearts. The fun February Challenge this month here on Creative Crafter UK is to to show your crafted hearted items.

The best selected few will appear here after the closing date (end of the month) for the world to see. This is an ideal opportunity to promote yourself, your work, your crafts, your shop.

Keep your crafty snapshots coming to my email HERE.

Gorgeous Green Treasury on Etsy

Well, I thought you might be interested to see my latest treasury. This can be viewed on Etsy by clicking HERE.

This is a Gorgeous Green Treasury showcasing some of my fellow newbie Etsians work. Hope you enjoy. Please also don't forget to visit my page at www.CreativeCrafterUK.Etsy.com

Thank you.

Ice Rink - Please sign petition.

Apologies this is off topic here on Creative Crafter UK, but I want to spread the word about a petition or collection of names that is being created to encourage the building of a new ice rink here in Dorset and specifically in Bournemouth.

There was an ice rink in the town many years ago which was well used, and I understand it was where Robin Cousins (famous British ice skater) took his early steps on the ice, but sadly this closed. There has been talk that the council may build one again for ice hockey, sports, ice dance shows, figure skating lessons - it's a general leisure facility that is much needed in the town, especially since the closure of the BIC swimming pool and IMAX.

A petition is being signed throughout this week at the Bournemouth International Centre to present to the council requesting a new ice skating rink for the town. If you wish to sign it, either drop intot he BIC or send your name to the following email: petition.bournemouth.ice.rink@googlemail.com

Thank you.

Image Credit: www.icesk8.com

Romantic Chicks

Well, it's almost here - the day of luurrrve! Valentines day is just a two days away and I finished my last Valentines project today. Unfortunately, I cannot show it here as it was for a client, but I hope you have gained some inspiration from the projects I have been adding here recently? I just hope my doorstep is flooded with as many Valentines cards on February 14th, as I made this year (yeah right!) Oh and choccie would be nice too (hint, hint boyfriend!)

Talking of chocolates, this links nicely into Easter and it's on this theme I continued my projects - eggs, chicks, lambs, spring themes and daffodils. I just started on a few Easter creations today. It's quite difficult jumping from one theme to another, but something in this industry, us creative designers must do often. In fact, I'm lucky not to be working on Christmas projects yet - it wouldn't be the first time that I've had to create Christmas projects in January for publication the following year!

A designers life eh .... what month are we in?

Etsy Fun

Over recent weeks, I've been finding I am spending more and more time on the forums over at Etsy.com. People are so friendly, helpful and encouraging and I even sold my first item through Etsy yesterday. In fact,they were some of my favourite earrings I created not too long ago. (Pictured below left.)

The earrings are heading Stateside and further interest is being shown in my work with viewing figures rapidly increasing of late. I am happy to take custom orders, which will then be placed on Etsy. If anyone has any specific requirements please contact me. There is a link to my Etsy shop down the right side of this blog.

Etsy encourages promotion of other members work on what's called a Treasury. It's quite difficult to obtain a treasury in the first instance with hundreds of people fighting over limited numbers. However on two ocassions I have obtained my own and have been proud to promote fellow newbie Etisans work in this way. See pictures above of my featured treasuries. The lilac one is live for the next two days. If you wish to take a look, please click HERE.

Sweet Hearts

As my series of instructional projects for Valentines day draws to a close and February 14th just a few days away, there must be plenty of you having created items with hearts on.

Be it papercrafting projects, cards, scrapbook layouts, candles, soaps, hand stitched items, paintings, photography, jewellery the list goes on. So if you want to take part in this months' fun crafting challenge and want to share your photos with the world here at Creative Crafter UK, send photos of the creations to me. A selected few will appear on my blog after the closing date at the end of the month.

Head Over Heels on Valentines

With Valentines day just one week away, here is another card in my series of projects which you could create (or adapt) for your loved one this year.

Head Over Heels Card

This card could be created in different colour schemes for a more masculine look.

Instructions:

1. Punch or cut a 5cm or 2” diameter circle from lilac cardstock. Cut to 8cm x 6cm rectangle. Glue to a white A6 card.
2. Cut or punch a heart in pale pink card for the centre. Print, stamp or write your wording in the centre of the heart in black ink. Attach the heart with craft foam pads to your card.
3. Stamp or draw a heart border across the base of the lilac rectangle. Add large pink adhesive stones to the corners of the rectangle.
4. Complete with a ‘forever yours’ sentiment below.

*Please note: This card can be re-created for your personal use only and as it is copyrighted to me, please do not sell or submit this design to magazines or competitions.*

February's Fun Challenge

Can you belive it's February already? The start of this year has just flown by!
Well it's the month of Love and Valentines day is swooning it's way here, it's just under two weeks before my mail box is flooded with romantic cards and love hearts (yeah right!)

Since it's unlikely that will happen, this month's challenge is on the theme of hearts. I want to see your crafting hearts for Valentines this year. They could be cards (as seen in my example), jewellery, 3D items, beauty products, fashion items, accessories , artwork, papercrafts, home decor anything that you have created and lovingly handmade yourself.

I have been including project ideas here over recent days, so use those to inspire your imagination if you wish, but no direct copies please. Email me your photos of your crafted hearted items to my email HERE. The selected few will be shown on Creative Crafter UK at a later date when the challenge ends on February 28th.

Do keep checking back for forthcoming Valentines project step by step instructions in the coming days.

Notes to editors: I am taking commissions for magazine projects, please contact me with your requirements if my style of work interests you. Thank you.

Dancer's Delight

As a keen dancer, I often find it difficult to find cards and stationery relating to my hobby. I wanted cards that I could send to fellow dancers, but there seemed to be little available on the market, so I decided to design my own.

These cards/ notelets are taken from an original acrylic painting that I painted myself.
I am delighted with the way the image has printed onto this glossy photo paper and I hope they may appeal to fellow dancers.

To obtain these cards or see other designs within the range of dancing designs, please visit www.creativecrafteruk.etsy.com or click HERE.

Thank you.

Charming Sweetheart

Thought you might be interested to see my latest creation as featured in my shop on Etsy.com.
It's this cute red felt clutch bag, that I almost don't want to part with. This is a unique design and only the one has been made. When it's gone - it's gone!

Race over to Etsy before someone beats you to it! Treat your Valentine this year, show a friend you care or simply spoil yourself.

Click HERE to view this item on Etsy.

Challenge Results

Thanks to everyone who entered my recent crafting challenge. The idea was to get you thinking on the theme of 'Bright and Bold' and to lift our spirits during the cold, dreary days of January.

Here are a couple of entries I selected showcasing the work of Loli Gil Bea with her gorgeous silk scarves. Visit her website at www.gilbea.com or her Etsy store at www.gilbea.etsy.com.

Kallia submitted some beautiful bright homemade soaps. Visit her at www.soapykal.blogspot.com

Thank you to everyone who took part in my fun challenge - I do hope you enjoyed it!